Snow and sleet fell across parts of North Texas, Oklahoma and western Arkansas on Thursday, as forecasters warned that “heavy snow and breaking ice” would accumulate across the South by the end of the week.
On Thursday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, where more than 1,400 flights scheduled for Thursday were canceled. According to FlightAwareA flight tracking website. more than this 200 flights Canceled at Dallas Love Field Airport.
In Georgia, the National Weather Service increased its forecast and issued a winter storm warning for the northern half of the state, including Atlanta. Forecasters expect freezing rain and up to three inches of snow to fall along the I-20 corridor as early as Friday morning, potentially making travel nearly impossible and causing power outages.
From the southern plains of Texas and Oklahoma to the coastal plains of the Carolinas, much of this winter precipitation is projected to fall in places where people are not accustomed to winter weather, and could lead to dangerous driving conditions, power outages and school closures. is likely to.
Key Points to Know
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In the Southern United States, it does not take massive amounts of snow or ice to disrupt everyday life.
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Heavy snowfall of more than half a foot is expected to create hazardous travel conditions north and south of Interstate 40 in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee.
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Farther south, just north of Interstate 20 from Texas to Georgia, snow is likely to turn to sleet and freezing rain as warm air moves above freezing surface temperatures.
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Cold temperatures will continue across the region next week, increasing the potential for hazardous travel conditions.
By Thursday afternoon, snow had covered northern Texas and moved into Oklahoma as the storm began to take shape in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of an expected shift to the Northeast. Heavy snowfall is expected to continue in North Texas and Oklahoma. To all potential Snowfall totals in Texas will be between two and four inches, primarily along and north of I-20, an area that averages less than two inches of snowfall per season.
In response to the potential impacts, Dallas schools will be closed Thursday and Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott warned drivers at a news conference Wednesday: “Be careful. be cautious.”
He told his fellow Texans, “We are not accustomed to driving on snow and ice.” “We’re not used to driving in these kinds of conditions.”
Amidst battling winter weather, Texas Governor Greg Abbott also Delegated emergency Resources on Thursday ahead of heavy rainfall and possible flooding across the east and southeast of Texas.
Snow moved into central and eastern Oklahoma by Thursday afternoon, causing closures college campus Primary and government buildings, including all tribal-run offices Choctaw Nation In the eastern part of the state.
Snow and ice fell across Arkansas on Thursday evening. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced emergency situation As the storm entered the state, the state National Guard was directed to respond to emergency situations involving drivers. Highways in western Arkansas were covered till 2 pm with some accidents blocking traffic At Interstate 40 and Highway 7.
As the storm crosses the Gulf of Mexico Thursday through Friday, any slight changes in its path could result in rainfall that may differ from forecast in a given area. A slightly more northerly track will shift heavy snow northward and lift the line of freezing rain and sleet. The more southerly track will do the opposite, bringing heavy snow deeper into the south and leaving northern areas dry.
Winter precipitation is expected across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas Thursday night into Friday. By Friday morning, it will move eastward into Tennessee, northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued a emergency situation Thursday afternoon before the worst storm headed toward the state. While Tennessee is no stranger to winter storms, some areas like Memphis may get their biggest two-day snowfall in 40 years. Parts of the state are still recovering from Tropical Storm Helene, which passed through the state in September.
Forecasters in Nashville reminded locals not to get hung up on exact amounts, as any snowfall could cause dangerous travel in the area. In Atlanta, it’s been nearly 11 years since a small blizzard, known locally as Snowmageddon, shut down the city and turned into a hurricane. Punchline for the drama “Saturday Night Live”,
Although snow has been falling in the city since then, it can still make people cautious as the type of precipitation keeps changing during the day. What is expected to start out as snow Friday morning will likely turn into sleet and then freezing rain in the Atlanta metropolitan area, turning untreated roads into ice skating rinks by the evening.
Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp declared a state of emergency on thursday Due to the forecast and said it will remain in place until Tuesday. The governor asked residents to avoid travel as much as possible over the next few days. “Hazardous conditions, including ice and snow, can develop rapidly and make travel very dangerous,” he said in a statement.
Across North Carolina, a similar scenario will begin to unfold around noon Friday and persist overnight into Saturday. Up to two inches of accumulation is currently expected in the Mid-Atlantic region east of the Allegheny Mountains.
The storm is then expected to move away from the coast, where it will strengthen but remain far enough away to avoid becoming a major threat to the Northeast.
The unusual cold on the East Coast is expected to continue into next week, which may result in some snow accumulation around the region. And where ice has melted during the day, it may refreeze at night, creating transportation hazards.
Amanda Holpuch And sarah rubberg Contributed to the reporting.